Today the “workshop” style, also known as the “learner-centered” style or “active” learning, has become very popular in Japan. One of the roots of such style of learning is Paulo Freire’s philosophy and practice of education. Some people have treated Freire’s pedagogy as same way as “workshop” style learning. However, Freire himself criticizes “workshop” style learning as laissez-faire pedagogy. In an interview conducted in his later life, Freire said that his pedagogy is not laissez-faire pedagogy but the pedagogy of liberation. Freire is well known as a thinker of pedagogy for social transformation. Conversely, laissez-faire pedagogy is often used just as an instrument that legitimizes the current political regime. Therefore, I think there are some critical differences between “workshop” style learning and Freire’s pedagogy. The purpose of this study is to explore some differences between “workshop” style learning and Paulo Freire’s pedagogy from the perspective of the relationship between educators and learners.The purpose of this study is to explore some differences between “workshop” style learning and Paulo Freire’s pedagogy from the perspective of the relationship between educators and learners